Price setting device



March 1967 A. F. ROMANOWSKI 3,308,274

PRICE SETTING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ALBERT F. ROMANOWSKI FIEE flMK/W ATTORNEY March 1967 A. F. ROMANOWSK!3,303,274

PRICE SETTING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ALBERT F. ROMANOWSKI i/Mz ATTORNEY A. F. ROMANOWSKI 3,308,274

PRICE SETTING DEVICE 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 MEN March 7, 1967 Filed March5.

ERT F. ROMANOWSKI X/MZ ATZZRNEY fi]E.5

Mardl 1967 A. F. ROMANOWSKI 3,30

PRICE SETTING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4:

PRICE SETTING UNIT COMPUTER GATES ADDITIONAL PRICE SETTING UNIT TO OTHERPRICE SETTING UNITS fi f .JU

INVENTOR.

ALBERT F. ROMANOWSKI BY X/W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,308,274PRICE SETTING DEVICE Albert F. Romanowski, Greeneville, Tenn., assignorto Bowser, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Mar.5, 1962, Ser. No. 177,435 3 Claims. (Cl. 23561.11)

This invention relates to a price setting device, and more particularlyit relates to a price control mechanism for electronic computers used inliquid dispensing systems.

Many different constructions of price setting devices can be used, suchas a series of manually operated switches, card operated switches, andby interchanging circuit wiring. None of these methods are commerciallyfeasible in that personnel would be required to be specially trained inorder to operate such price setting devices.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a price settingand indicating means which can be stored in a relatively small space andwhich can be operated by untrained personnel.

It is another object of this invention to provide a price control switchmechanism which uses a tape having photographed thereon a large numberof price numerals in a predetermined sequence and which has apredetermined code thereon corresponding to the numerals to operateestablished circuits in different combinations with a computer.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a price controlswitch mechanism having a Mylar tape with pricing numerals photographedthereon, and a predetermined code associated with the numerals toactuate discs to operate electrical contacts so that the electricalcontacts do not come into contact with the Mylar tape.

A further object of this invention is to provide a price control switchmechanism having means for indicating the brand of fuel being dispensed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a price control switchmechanism and indicating means which can be interconnected with anotherprice control switch mechanism and with an electronic computer for usein a fuel dispensing system with each price control switch mechanismfunctioning for a particular brand of fuel, such as regular or premium.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, herewith more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention is claimed.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the price control switch mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the invention illustrated inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the invention illustrated inFIGURE 1 with parts broken away to illustrate the switch mechanism andprice adjustment means;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 44 in FIGURE3;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed view illustrating the switch mechanism andelectrical terminals embodied in the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIGURE5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 77 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 88 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a front view of the price setting tape;

3,308,274 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 FIGURE 10 is an electrical schematic ofthe price control switch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, the referencenumeral 13 designates a frame or housing having Plexiglas window 15secured thereon by screws 17. The front part of the frame is providedwith a downwardly turned flange 19 having openings 21 for securing acover member (not shown). A support 23 is disposed below the frame andsecured thereto by screws 25. A bracket 27 is secured to the frame byscrews 29 and 31.

A shaft 33 provided with a spacer 35 is carried by the frame 13 and isprovided with a beveled gear 37 secured to the shaft by a screw 39. Thebracket 27 supports a shaft 41 which carries a beveled gear 43 adaptedto mesh with the gear 37. The beveled gear 43 is secured to the shaft 41by a screw 45. A collar 47 is fastened to the shaft 41 to preventdisengagement of the gears. A knob 49 is disposed on the end of theshaft so that it can be rotated manually. The shaft is also providedwith a slot 51 so that it can be turned with a screw driver in the eventfractional force on the shafts become too great to permit the shaftbeing rotated by hand. Another shaft 53 provided with a spacer 55 iscarried by the frame 13 and is spaced substantially parallel with theshaft 33. The shaft 53 is provided with beveled gears (not shown), whichare similar to the beveled gears 43 and 37 and are adapted to beactuated by a shaft 57 having a slot 59 and a knob 61.

Referring to FIGURE 9 a Mylar tape 63 is provided with a series ofnumerals or prices 65, which serve to indicate the value of the fuelbeing dispensed. The numerals are photographed on the Mylar tape forminga master tape and will remain thereon for the life of the tape. A numberof code holes or openings 67 are spaced on the tape in a predeterminedpattern corresponding to the price numerals thereon.

The tape 63 is mounted in the frame with one end disposed or rolledaround the shaft 53, and the other end disposed or rolled around theshaft 33 with a loop disposed around a support or post 69 and a supportor post 71 which are carried by the frame 13. The posts are spaced withrespect to each other so that one price indication or numeral Will bedisposed therebetween. A platten frosted Plexiglas member 73 is mountedbetween the posts 69 and 71 to form a backup plate for the tape. Theplate 73 is provided with a locater (not shown) in the form of a blackdot so that when either one of the shafts 53 or 33 is rotated the tapeis in proper position when the square 75 on the tape covers the blackdot.

The post 71 is provided with common or spaced radial recesses 77corresponding to the code holes or openings 67 on the tape. Referring toFIGURES 2, 7 and 8 it will be noted that a support 79 is mountedadjacent the post 71 and is provided with a series of slots or openings81 corresponding to the recesses 77. A switch actuating disc or roller83 is disposed in each slot 81 and is secured therein by individualswitch leaves 85 which are mounted on the support 79 by a fastener 87.Each leaf switch 85 is connected to a terminal 89 through a line 91 anddiode 93. The terminals 89 are connected to a male electric plug 95. Acommon bus bar 305 is secured on the support 79 adjacent the openings 81and is connected to the male plug through line 97. The reference numeral99 designates an electrical grommet for the line 97.

A lamp holder 101 having a lamp 103 is carried by the frame and disposedbehind the frosted Plexiglas plate 73 to illuminate the numeral when thefuel dispensing system is being operated. It is readily apparent thatthe lamp will also indicate to the operator and customer which fuel isbeing dispensed in that an individual price control switch mechanism isused for each brand of fuel.

The line is connected to the male plug through lines 105 and 107. Thereference numeral 109 designates a grommet mounted in the frame 13.

Referring to FIGURE 10, an electrical schematic diagram is illustratedfor the price control switch mechanism. The reference numeral 305designates the common bus bar and each individual leaf switch isnumbered 309 to 327. It should be noted that an additional price settingunit can be connected with one or more additional price setting units.Each individual switch 309 to 327 is individually connected to the maleplug with the computer gates to establish circuits in differentcombinations, depending upon whether or not the switches are open orclosed.

OPERATION The unit as shown in FIGURE 1 is mounted as a subassembly witha computer and indicator for dispensing fuels and is connected with thecomputer circuits as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No.158,670 filed December 12, 1961. As shown in FIGURE a price controlmechanism is required for each brand of fuel, such as premium orregular. The price control switch mechanisms can be connected in thatthe diodes 111 permit the flow of current in one direction.

The Mylar tape is disposed between the Plexiglas window and the frostedPlexiglas 73 with its ends wound around the shafts 53 and 33. When it isdesired to select a price per gallon of fuel to be dispensed, the shaft41 is rotated to the right until the selected price is disposed betweenthe shafts 69 and 71; for example, in FIGURES l and 2 the price of 40cents per gallon is illustrated. The shaft is rotated to the right untilthe square indicator 75 on the tape is disposed substantially over ablack dot disposed on the frosted plate. When the tape is in thisposition the coded openings or recesses 67 are directly over therecesses 77 on the support 71. The code openings 67 permit the actuatingdiscs 83 to drop into the recesses 77 whereby the switch leaf 85 willcontact the common bus bar completing a circuit to the terminal 89 andthen to the computer.

As will be seen in FIGURE 2, three openings 67 are disposed over therecesses 77, thus three leaf switches 85 are closed establishing theproper circuits in the computer with respect to the price of 40 centsper gallon. If it is desired to decrease the price per gallon the shaft57 is rotated to the left, in FIGURE 1, until the selected price pergallon is properly positioned between the posts 69 and 71. It should benoted in this respect that the leaf switches 85 never come in contactwith the Mylar tape. This is particularly advantageous in that mosttapes have a residue on its surface and when allowed to slide or contactelectric contacts a high resistance connection is obtained causingmalfunction in computer circuits. It is readily apparent that the pricecontrol switch mechanism illustrated in this application is relativelysimple to operate by a service station employee. The only knowledge thatthe service station employee needs to know is that the shafts 41 and 57are to be rotated to the right or left to position the square indicator75 over the dot on the frosted Plexiglas 73.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it willbe understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limitedthereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplatedtherefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications asfall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A price setting device for fuel dispensers comprising, incombination:

(a) a frame member having a pair of spaced shafts,

(b) a pair of supports substantially arallel with said shafts and spacedwith respect thereto,

(c) a Mylar tape having numerals photographed in a predeterminedsequence thereon,

(d) said tape having a plurality of spaced openings forming a codecorresponding to the numerals on the tape,

(e) said tape having one end rolled around one of the shafts and theother end of the tape rolled around the other shaft with a loop disposedaround said supports,

(f) means for rotating said shafts for positioning a selected numeral onthe tape between the supports,

(g) one of said supports having a plurality of spaced recessescorresponding to one or more of the openings in said tape,

(h) a mounting support disposed adjacent the support having the spacedrecesses, said mounting support provided with a plurality of slots forreceiving a number of actuating discs,

(i) a number of switch leaves secured to the mounting support anddisposed over each slot to hold said discs therein,

(j) a common bus bar secured on the mounting support adjacent the slotsso that when the code slot on the tape is disposed over a recess in thesupport, a disc will drop into the recess permitting the switch leaf tomake contact with the common bus bar.

2. A price setting device for fuel dispensers comprising, incombination:

(a) a frame having a pair of spaced rotatable members mounted thereon,

(b) a pair of posts mounted on the frame, said posts having theirlongitudinal axis substantially parallel with the rotatable members andspaced with respect thereto,

(c) a tape having numerals disposed in a predetermined sequence thereon,

(d) said tape provided with a plurality of predetermined spaced slotsforming a price code corresponding to the numerals on the tape,

(e) said tape having one end rolled around one of the rotatable membersand the other end of the tape rolled around the other rotatable memberwith a loop disposed around the posts so that a numeral is disposedbetween the posts,

(f) means for positioning a selected numeral on the tape between theposts,

(g) one of said posts having a plurality of spaced recessescorresponding to one or more of the slots in said tape,

(h) a mounting support disposed adjacent the post having recessescorresponding to the recesses in the post,

(i) a disc disposed in each recess on the mounting support,

(j) a number of switch leaves secured to the mounting support andpositioned over the recesses in the mounting support to maintain a discin each recess,

(k) a number of discs disposed in each slot in the plate, support sothat when the code slot on the tape is disposed over a recess in thepost a disc will drop into the recesses allowing the switch leaf to makecontact with the common bus bar.

3. A price setting device for fuel dispensers comprising, incombination:

(a) a U-shaped frame member,

(b) a first shaft and a second shaft carried by said frame member andextending transversely therebetween,

(c) a first support and a second support carried by said frame member,

(d) a tape having numerals disposed thereon,

(e) said tape provided with a series of openings disposed in apredetermined pattern,

(f) said tape having one end surrounding said first shaft and the otherend surrounding the second shaft with a portion of the tape positionedaway from the shafts by the first and second supports,

(g) means for manually imparting rotation to the shafts for positioninga selected numeral between the first and second supports,

(h) said second support having a series of peripheral recesses,

(i) a plate carried by the frame and disposed adjacent the secondsupport,

(j) said plate provided with a series of slots in alignment with therecesses on the second support,

(k) a number of discs disposed in each slot in the plate,

(1) contact fingers carried by said plate with end portions projectingover the slots to hold the discs therein,

(m) contact means disposed under the contact fingers so that when theopenings in the tape correspond to the peripheral recesses on the secondsupport the discs will project through said openings into the peripheralrecesses permitting the contact fingers to 6 engage the contact means toestablish circuits in different combinations depending upon the relativeposition of the openings on the tape and the peripheral recesses on thesecond support, and terminals carried by a portion of the plate andconnected to said contact fingers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,224,609 12/1940Plym et a1 23561.11 2,965,727 12/1960 Passrnan 200-46 MAYNARD R. WILBUR,Primmy Examiner. DARYL W. COOK, MALCOLM A. MORRISON,

Assistant Examiners.

1. A PRICE SETTING DEVICE FOR FUEL DISPENSERS COMPRISING, INCOMBINATION: (A) A FRAME MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED SHAFTS, (B) APAIR OF SUPPORTS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID SHAFTS AND SPACED WITHRESPECT THERETO, (C) A MYLAR TAPE HAVING NUMERALS PHOTOGRAPHED IN APREDETERMINED SEQUENCE THEREON, (D) SAID TAPE HAVING A PLURALITY OFSPACED OPENINGS FORMING A CODE CORRESPONDING TO THE NUMERALS ON THETAPE, (E) SAID TAPE HAVING ONE END ROLLED AROUND ONE OF THE SHAFTS ANDTHE OTHER END OF THE TAPE ROLLED AROUND THE OTHER SHAFT WITH A LOOPDISPOSED AROUND SAID SUPPORTS, (F) MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFTS FORPOSITIONING A SELECTED NUMERAL ON THE TAPE BETWEEN THE SUPPORTS, (G) ONEOF SAID SUPPORTS HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED RECESSES CORRESPONDING TOONE OR MORE OF THE OPENINGS IN SAID TAPE, (H) A MOUNTING SUPPORTDISPOSED ADJACENT THE SUPPORT HAVING THE SPACED RECESSES, SAID MOUNTINGSUPPORT PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SLOTS FOR RECEIVING A NUMBER OFACTUATING DISCS, (I) A NUMBER OF SWITCH LEAVES SECURED TO THE MOUNTINGSUPPORT AND DISPOSED OVER EACH SLOT TO HOLD SAID DISCS THEREIN, (J) ACOMMON BUS BAR SECURED ON THE MOUNTING SUPPORT ADJACENT THE SLOTS SOTHAT WHEN THE CODE SLOT ON THE TAPE IS DISPOSED OVER A RECESS IN THESUPPORT, A DISC WILL DROP INTO THE RECESS PERMITTING THE SWITCH LEAF TOMAKE CONTACT WITH THE COMMON BUS BAR.